Number: RS22255
Title: Emergency Response: Civil Liability of Volunteer Health Professionals
Authors: Kathleen Swendiman and Nathan Brooks, American Law Division 
Abstract: The devastation wrought on the Gulf Region by Hurricane Katrina has triggered a massive relief effort by local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as private organizations and individuals. Much of the relief effort will be carried out by unpaid volunteers, and some have questioned whether such volunteers - particularly medical personnel, so-called "volunteer health professionals" (VHPs) - will be protected from potential civil liability in carrying out their duties. This report sketches the various federal and state liability protections available to VHPs responding to disasters generally, with a focus on the protections applicable to the Hurricane Katrina response.
Pages: 6
Date: September 19, 2005